Sheep–goat hybrid

Schiegen are hybrids ( hybrids) from sheep and goats. There are two fundamentally different hybrid beings called Schiegen.

Hybrid Schiegen

In the natural pairing it can be used for fertilization of an Ziegeneizelle with a Schafbockspermium come (or vice versa: Schafeizelle with Ziegenbockspermium ). The fertilized egg begins to develop, but it comes in the majority of cases a spontaneous early abortion. In some rare cases, however, a hybrid geep can be born. According to the literature, the boy developed very quickly, which can be explained with the heterosis effect. The proof that it is a hybrid creature is, for example, in the preparation of a karyogram. The karyotype shows 2n = 57 chromosomes, a value that lies between the number of chromosomes of sheep (2n = 54) and goat ( 2n = 60). Despite several mating attempts by the Schiegen could testify to this day no descendants. So one suspects infertility of hybrid geep, similar to the situation in the mule. Viability is surprising, because it is not just about different types, but also different genera in goats and sheep.

Chimera Schiegen

In the 1980s, a research group was able to create a chimera between goat and sheep. It was created by fusing a sheep embryo with a goat embryo. In addition to parts of the body whose cells have the genetic makeup of a sheep, even body parts are found in the hybrid creatures whose cells have genetic material goats.